Brian Curwin, Misty Hein, Wayne Sanderson, Cynthia Striley, Dick Heederik, Hans Kromhout, Stephen Reynolds, Michael Alavanja, “Urinary Pesticide Concentrations Among Children, Mothers and Fathers Living in Farm and Non-Farm Households in Iowa,” The Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 51:1, January 2007, DOI: 10.1093/annhyg/mel062
ABSTRACT:
Sheela Sathyanarayana MD MPH, Olga Basso PhD, Catherine J. Karr MD PhD MS, Paula Lozano MD MPH, Michael Alavanja PhD, Dale P. Sandler PhD & Jane A. Hoppin ScD, “Maternal Pesticide Use and Birth Weight in the Agricultural Health Study,” Journal of Agromedicine, 15:2, 2010, DOI: 10.1080/10599241003622699
ABSTRACT:
Studies examining the association between maternal pesticide exposure and low birth weight yield conflicting results. The authors examined the association between maternal pesticide use and birth weight among women in the Agricultural Health Study, a large study of pesticide applicators and their spouses in Iowa and North Carolina. The authors evaluated self-reported pesticide use of 27 individual pesticides in relation to birth weight among 2246 farm women whose most recent singleton birth occurred within 5 years of enrollment (1993–1997). The authors used linear regression models adjusted for site, preterm birth, medical parity, maternal body mass index, height, and smoking. The results showed that mean infant birth weight was 3586 g (± 546 g), and 3% of the infants were low birth weight (<2500 g). First-trimester pesticide-related tasks were not associated with birth weight. Ever use of the pesticide carbaryl was associated with decreased birth weight (−82 g, 95% confidence interval [CI] = −132, −31). This study thus provides limited evidence about pesticide use as a modulator of birth weight. Overall, the authors observed no associations between birth weight and pesticide-related activities during early pregnancy; however, the authors have no data on temporal specificity of individual pesticide exposures prior to or during pregnancy and therefore cannot draw conclusions related to these exposure windows. Given the widespread exposure to pesticide products, additional evaluation of maternal pregnancy exposures at specific time windows and subsequent birth outcomes is warranted.
Sanin LH, Carrasquilla G, Solomon KR, Cole DC, Marshall EJ., “Regional differences in time to pregnancy among fertile women from five Colombian regions with different use of glyphosate,” Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, 72: 15-16, 2009, DOI: 10.1080/15287390902929691
ABSTRACT:
The objective of this study was to test whether there was an association between the use of glyphosate when applied by aerial spray for the eradication of illicit crops (cocaine and poppy) and time to pregnancy (TTP) among fertile women. A retrospective cohort study (with an ecological exposure index) of first pregnancies was undertaken in 2592 fertile Colombian women from 5 regions with different uses of glyphosate. Women were interviewed regarding potential reproductive, lifestyle, and work history predictors of TTP, which was measured in months. Fecundability odds ratios (fOR) were estimated using a discrete time analogue of Cox’s proportional hazard model. There were differences in TTP between regions. In the final multivariate model, the main predictor was the region adjusted by irregular relationship with partner, maternal age at first pregnancy, and, marginally, coffee consumption and self-perception of water pollution. Boyaca, a region with traditional crops and. recently, illicit crops without glyphosate eradication spraying (manual eradication), displayed minimal risk and was the reference region. Other regions, including Sierra Nevada (control area, organic agriculture), Putumayo and Narino (illicit crops and intensive eradication spray program), and Valle del Cauca, demonstrated greater risk of longer TTP, with the highest risk for Valle del Cauca (fOR 0.15, 95% CI 0.12, 0.18), a sugar-cane region with a history of use of glyphosate and others chemicals for more than 30 yr. The reduced fecundability in some regions was not associated with the use of glyphosate for eradication spraying. The observed ecological differences remain unexplained and may be produced by varying exposures to environmental factors, history of contraceptive programs in the region, or psychological distress. Future studies examining these or other possible causes are needed.
Weselak M, Arbuckle TE, Foster W., “Pesticide exposures and developmental outcomes: the epidemiological evidence.,” Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, Critical Reviews, 1-2, 2007, DOI: 10.1080/10937400601034571
ABSTRACT
Since the advent of DDT as an insecticide in the late 1930s, billions of kilograms of pesticide active ingredient have been sold in North America and around the world. In recent years, there has been a heightened public awareness of pesticides and child health and a number of epidemiologic studies linked pre- and postnatal exposures to pesticides to a number of adverse developmental outcomes, including fetal death, intrauterine growth restriction, preterm birth, and birth defects. Given this, it was felt prudent to critically appraise the evidence for periconceptual pesticide exposures and developmental outcomes. The epidemiological evidence for specific pesticide classes, families, and active ingredients were examined and summarized and recommendations were made for how to improve future studies in order to address the current pitfalls and gaps in the studies in this area. Many of the studies suffered from poor exposure estimation, relying on job title only and/or the exposure category “any pesticide” as a measure of exposure, and there was limited or inadequate evidence to support causality for all associations examined.
Rudolph P. Rull Beate Ritz Gary M. Shaw, “Neural Tube Defects and Maternal Residential Proximity to Agricultural Pesticide Applications,” American Journal of Epidemiology, 163:8, 15 April 2006, DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwj101
ABSTRACT:
Residential proximity to applications of agricultural pesticides may be an important source of exposure to agents that have been classified as developmental toxins. Data on two case-control study populations of infants with neural tube defects (NTDs) and nonmalformed controls delivered in California between 1987 and 1991 were pooled to investigate whether maternal residential proximity to applications of specific pesticides or physicochemical groups of pesticides during early gestation increases the risk of these malformations. Maternal residential proximity within 1,000 m of pesticide applications was ascertained by linking mothers’ addresses with agricultural pesticide use reports and crop maps. Odds ratios were computed by using conventional single- and multiplepesticide and hierarchical multiple-pesticide logistic regression. In single-pesticide models, several pesticides were associated with NTDs after adjustment for study population, maternal ethnicity, educational level, cigarette smoking, and vitamin use. In a hierarchical multiple-pesticide model, effect estimates for only benomyl and methomyl suggested a possible association. Elevated risks of NTDs and anencephaly or spina bifida subtypes were also associated with exposures to chemicals classified as amide, benzimidazole, methyl carbamate, or organophosphorus pesticides and with increasing numbers of pesticides. These results suggest that ambient exposure to certain categories of agricultural pesticides may increase the risk of NTDs. FULL TEXT
S. Parvez, R. R. Gerona, C. Proctor, M. Friesen, J. L. Ashby, J. L. Reiter, Z. Lui, and P. D. Winchester, “Glyphosate exposure in pregnancy and shortened gestational length: a prospective Indiana birth cohort study,” Environmental Health, 17:23, March 9, 2018, DOI: 10.1186/s12940-018-0367-0.
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND: Glyphosate (GLY) is the most heavily used herbicide worldwide but the extent of exposure in human pregnancy remains unknown. Its residues are found in the environment, major crops, and food items that humans, including pregnant women, consume daily. Since GLY exposure in pregnancy may also increase fetal exposure risk, we designed a birth-cohort study to determine exposure frequency, potential exposure pathways, and associations with fetal growth indicators and pregnancy length.
METHOD: Urine and residential drinking water samples were obtained from 71 women with singleton pregnancies living in Central Indiana while they received routine prenatal care. GLY measurements were performed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Demographic and survey information relating to food and water consumption, stress, and residence were obtained by questionnaire. Maternal risk factors and neonatal outcomes were abstracted from medical records. Correlation analyses were used to assess relationships of urine GLY levels with fetal growth indicators and gestational length.
RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 29 years, and the majority were Caucasian. Ninety three percent of the pregnant women had GLY levels above the limit of detection (0.1 ng/mL). Mean urinary GLY was 3.40 ng/mL (range 0.5–7.20 ng/mL). Higher GLY levels were found in women who lived in rural areas (p = 0.02), and in those who consumed > 24 oz. of caffeinated beverages per day (p = 0.004). None of the drinking water samples had detectable GLY levels. We observed no correlations with fetal growth indicators such as birth weight percentile and head circumference. However, higher GLY urine levels were significantly correlated with shortened gestational lengths (r = − 0.28, p = 0.02).
CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study of GLY exposure in US pregnant women using urine specimens as a direct measure of exposure. We found that > 90% of pregnant women had detectable GLY levels and that these levels correlated significantly with shortened pregnancy lengths. Although our study cohort was small and regional and had limited racial/ethnic diversity, it provides direct evidence of maternal GLY exposure and a significant correlation with shortened pregnancy. Further investigations in a more geographically and racially diverse cohort would be necessary before these findings could be generalized. FULL TEXT
Tom Polansek, “Monsanto, BASF weed killers strain U.S. states with damage complaints,” Reuters, November 1, 2017.
SUMMARY:
Reports on the latest on the 2017 dicamba damage crisis. Major soybean states such as Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois received roughly 4 years’ worth of complaints about damaged crops. A total of 2,708 damage investigations have been initiated as of October 15th. In Illinois, where they received 421 complaints, the most since 1989, they expect investigations to continue through next year. Investigations will determine if applicators followed lengthy label instructions (up to 4,550 words). Monsanto believes this off-label application is the issue and plans to change usage instructions before the next crop season. The article points out the expense to state ag agencies to cover this surge in complaints and associated staff demands. Some states are putting off other inspections to manage dicamba complaints, and budgets are strained. The EPA has offered 35 states extra grants to help fund dicamba damage investigations, and is helping states by conducting states for low-levels of dicamba. FULL TEXT
Steve Smith, “Save Our Crops Coalition Open Letter to Chairman of Monsanto,” August 9, 2016.
SUMMARY:
open letter Steve Smith, Chairman of the Save Our Crops Coalition sent to Hugh Grant, Chairman and CEO of the Monsanto Company about drift damage from dicamba spraying on dicamba-resistant crops. FULL TEXT
Environmental Protection Agency, “Permanent Group 1 Tolerances By Pesticide,” August 3, 1999.
SUMMARY:
Sets tolerances for pesticides after the passage of the FQPA. FULL TEXT
Environmental Protection Agency, “Reassessed Group 2 Tolerances by Pesticide,” August 4, 1999.
SUMMARY:
Reassessed tolerances for pesticides following the passage of the FQPA. FULL TEXT